but he just had to keep those tax cuts coming, but something remarkable may be happening in our politics. we're on the verge of something big. after decades of silliness, this lock-step republican fantasy that has hurt our country, president obama is close to breaking the gop tax unity. >> unfortunately, the speaker's proposal right now is still out of balance. you know, he talks, for example, about $800 billion worth of revenues but he says he's going to do that by lowering rates. and when you look at the math, it doesn't work. if we're going to protect middle class families, then we're going to have to have higher rates for the wealthiest americans, folks like me. >> read his lips, no deal without a tax increase on the richest in this country. and get this, president obama is winning this argument. remember the anti-tax pledge? 44 republicans had distanced themselves from it. today conservative columnist david brooks says, republicans have to realize they're going to have to cave on tax rates. and conservative writer byron york writes, quote, republicans will cave. part of the reason f